Thursday, September 28, 2017

Tech Talent Workshop - Friday, Sept. 22, 2017

Dr. Lou Manzione - Dean of CETA

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Commissioner Catherine Smith - Dept. of Economics and Community Development (DECD)

All in attendance enjoy the portion of the event presented by Gerry Holland﻿

On Friday, September 22, the College of Engineering, Technology,
and Architecture (CETA)and the Barney School of
Business hosted a Tech Talent Workshop in the 1877 Club, located in the Harry
Jack Gray Center. The workshop was a collaboration with CETA, the Barney School
of Business, and Connecticut industry to discuss an evolving partnership. The
University of Hartford understands the growing urgency to better prepare
students to meet the needs of a business and industry upon graduation, as well
as incumbent worker training. The workshop was a call to Conn. industry to
express their current needs in a robust and growing job market.

Dean Louis
Manzione opened the event expressing his desire to “develop public, private,
and government partnerships to ensure that we stay connected” to the needs of
the Conn. business and industry. The University needs to support the rapid
growth of technology and change in Conn. in order to stay connected to the best
jobs for future students, and the best outcomes for Connecticut businesses. Dean
Manzione explained that the solution may not be a new discipline or
concentration in our college, but could mean a workshop, or a special
certificate program. CETA’s goal is to help Conn. industries quickly realize the
skills they need for the current workforce, for both future students and
current employees.

Commissioner
Catherine Smith from the Department of Economic and Community Development
(DECD) touched on some of her plans to attract and retain Connecticut jobs. The
DECD’s strategy for growth includes focusing on talent development, data
analytics, tourism, green technology such as fuel cells, and understanding the
connection between business and universities. Commissioner Smith expressed the
importance of talent development above all else.The “state has a workforce that is #3 in
terms of skill” and is “#4 in terms of productivity of our workforce relative
to all other states.” she expressed the importance of holding onto that level
of skill and productivity in Conn. because we know that is important to the
companies and workforce and what they are counting on for the future.

The
workshop included four guest speakers from the industry of Connecticut: Rob
Thomas ’04, Gerry Holland, Brian Romano ‘83, and Sergio Loureiro. The Senior
Vice President of CNA, Rob Thomas ‘04, spoke about data analytics and the
importance of engineers in the insurance industry. He explained that data
analytics are actually two separate things, data and the analysis of that data.
An example of how data is different now is that companies need someone to
engineer a digital interface for the customer to purchase insurance.It’s not just the technical skills that we
need here, we need practical skills, and we need to join the two, just like data
and analysis go together, explained Rob Thomas.

Vice President of Estimating and
Marketing for Bartlett Brainerd Eacott Inc., Gerry Holland, gave a poignant
analogy saying, if we stand in a circle and face inward it becomes much easier
to move and adapt to the change in design. The need to engage in the field with
different mediums of technology is cleanly evident in construction. Regardless
of discipline, we must stay connected and look to each other in order to adjust
and adapt to the rapid advancement of technology. Design, construction, and
institutions are tied together and must work together to meet the demands of
the future.

Manager of Control Systems and IT
for A.G. Russell, Brian Romano ’83, explained that as a lean company, his firm
cannot afford to take two years to train new graduates and recruiting employees
from other companies can cost up to $30,000 in relocation costs. Romano is
working with the University of Hartford and Central Connecticut State
University to develop ways to educate students and current employees to enable
them to be productive employees right away, such as workshops for current
employees, internships, apprenticeships, and adjusting University programs.

The
Vice President of Enterprise Capacity for Pratt and Whitney, Sergio Loureiro, mentioned
that the metrology certificate program, conducted by Professor Sahay and
Professor Ghosh, has been very successful for them. Rob Thomas made note that
these programs are what company’s need to train current employees and close an
existing skill gap. Loureiro believes anything that higher education can do
will be beneficial to “accelerate the knowledge transfer” and increase
productivity. He also points out that many aspects of the company will be
turning digital which will require new skills from their employees and future
students, and it is crucial to work together to customize the right learning
model.

The
workshop closed with a discussion. CETA already hosts events and programs that
aim to address some of concerns that were raised, such as the Networkology
events, the UTC Metrology certificate program, and the CETA Design Expo. The
Networkology event helps students socialize with working professionals in their
field. The CETA Design Expo enables students to have a crossover understanding
of the engineering field while working with their peers to design and present
their collaborative project to professionals in industry. CETA and the Barney School
of Business will plan follow-up events to discuss next steps and new approaches
to ensure the ongoing success of Connecticut business and industry.